Palin told Ailes she wanted to respond, according to a person with knowledge of the call. It wasn't fair the media was making this about her. Ailes told Palin that she should stay quiet.

"Lie low," he said. "There's no need to inject yourself into the story."

But, alas, you might as well tell her husband Todd not to speak in monosyllabic grunts. Palin released her speech—over the recommendations of Ailes as well as her lawyer and other unnamed aides—and was roundly mocked, because it was a stupid speech, and she said stupid things in it. Rog "was not pleased," and apparently, the rejected advice is just one of the reasons Ailes is annoyed with Palin right now:

On March 2, the network suspended the contracts of contributors Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, saying it couldn't employ pundits once they jump into the presidential race. Palin and Mike Huckabee have been able to keep their contracts so far because they've said they're not running right now... Fox is hosting the first GOP debate on May 5 in South Carolina. If Palin participates in the debate, then her Fox contract will be suspended. Given her media exposure and grassroots operation, Palin might like to delay a decision until the fall, or later. Whether Fox will tolerate that is another matter.

Is it possible to root against everyone in this "feud"? We're going to try!